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Tell Me About Speed Scraps

Has anyone participated in an online speed scrap? I have some layouts I want to get done, and I was thinking of hosting one, but honestly I don't really know what they are. Do they just take place in the forums, or do people use some sort of chatting thing? Is it just a general "get a lot of stuff done" time, or is it more focused on something? Any thoughts are appreciated.

I'll take a stab at it since I participated in one (at either SNP or Gotta Pixels - forget which)...

Typically it's done in a forum, though I've heard of some sites doing it in a "chat" room. It's usually over the course of an hour. The person leading the Speed Scrap will post instructions throughout that hour, one step at a time, updating the first post so everything stays together. People participating in the Speed Scrap can usually use whatever they have in their digiscrapping stash (it's not store or designer specific, though I've been to one that was). People will type chat at times throughout the Scrap.

Here's an example of one:

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Here are the instructions (I will update as they're posted in the chat).

Step 1 - Choose one or two photos and arrange them on your page.
Step 2 - Choose one patterned paper and one solid paper and arrange them as your background.
Step 3 - Choose 2-3 more papers (solids or patterns) and clip them behind your photo(s) (ie. as squares, circles, strips).
Step 4 - Place a frame around your photo(s) either in front of or behind the photo.
Step 5 - Choose 3 different flowers and cluster/place them around your photos. You can repeat the flowers as many times as you choose, just choose 3 different ones.
Step 6 - Choose at least 1 ribbon and 1 leaf and place behind the flowers/clusters. You can repeat the ribbon and leaf as many times as you choose.
Step 7 - Add your shadows and any other papers/elements/alpha items to finish your page.
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At the end of the hour you should have completed a layout, and you're supposed to shrink it down to web size (usually 600x600 pixels) and then upload the layout in the appropriate Gallery & Thread (listing credits for all the materials you used). Often there will be a small gift for participating in the scrap (mini kit, an AO kit, $$ to use in their store or what not).

I learned the hard way that I can't handle speed scraps - too quick for me. I usually only participate in Slow Scraps as a result (when I have time). Slow Scraps will put up the instructions & all like they do for Speed Scraps, but they usually give you a day or two to complete & upload your layout (most times they say the layout needs to be posted by 5 pm). That gives me time to copy down all the instructions, chat with folks, sometimes ask newbie "user" questions & scrap at my speed.

My experience has been similar to Liz's and Lorien's. I have been to more in chat rooms in the beginning of digi-scrapping the first several years, but I've noticed in recent years, they are more often in forums and if people have questions they just post to the original thread for the speed scrap. I however have discovered the same I don't ever finish in ONE hour and end up more frustrated that I've had several started layouts and decided not to participate in them anymore a couple years back.

I think what I was imagining was a little more free form. More like a set time where we made layouts and had some chatting in the forums, sharing things as we completed them. I'm not sure I could give steps for finishing a layout...

I think it could be fun to use the general community momentum here to do "Project Hour" or something. We meet up in a particular thread at a specified time. Each person sets their own goal for what they want to get done in the next hour (or two or however long it goes for). We chat along the way, maybe ask for help or advice if needed, and then share whatever we got done at the end. I would totally participate in something like that here. I'm so behind on my Project Life pages because I keep doing blog train stuff or design challenges instead, so combining PixelScrapper motivation + project I really really need to do some work on could be perfect.

Speed scrapping as described by Lizanne sounds potentially both fun and frustrating. I've never completed a layout in an hour and am not sure I'm capable of doing so. It sounds like a good exercise in developing some discipline in decision making but the result might not be a "keeper".

I love speed scraps (SS). My most favorite is the one that Wendy Tunison does on her FB page. With Wendy she gives us challenges of different techniques and can help if we don't understand as you are in the "event" space and on the FB chat. SS usually are for an hour, getting an instruction every 10 minutes. Many of them then give you 1-2 hours after the END of the SS to finish your layout. Another reason I like Wendy's is that she usually gives you at least 12 hours from the beginning of the SS to finish. Not only that she keeps track of your finished LO/SS participation and gives you points. If you use her kits you get 2 pts and anything else you earn 1 pt. Once you get a certain number of points you will receive a coupon to her store to make a purchase of her product. I have learned a great deal from her and she is so patient when you run into problems. Most months she has several SS scheduled....if your are interested, here is the event tab on her FB for you hopefully be able to take a look at some past SS.

@Lorien - remember that thread a while back about how none of us sleep at night? (She writes at 3:30 am...) I bet we could find more overlapping time periods than one might assume based on our time zones! Whether or not I'm coherent enough to do actual scrapping in the middle of the night is a different question, though, I suppose.

Also, your RHPS reference! Is getting together to watch the movie and act (and dance) it out a thing in Brazil, too?

@Marisa... Gotta Pixel has a lot of SLOW scraps (usually by Connie Prince) & the gals over there are friendly & helpful if you have a question. Maybe you could try that out? I think there's one this weekend (don't recall if it's Friday night or Saturday night - I already deleted the newsletter).

I think it sounds like a new additional way to head! My daughter and I did a few live party scraps and they would add an challenge hour to the scrapping. The challenge was to scrap as many pages as you could during that hour...most done got a pack of stickers, from a small collection. My daughter did 7 pages in one, of her trip to UK & Ireland. You had to have journaling or a title in it as well, to have it "finished". I think it was easier for her because she had a large amount of photos to do, and she was doing a themed event. It was exactly what she was looking for, an incentive to work quickly to get things done.

I think if we were to take some ideas from past challenges, and maybe even start the thread early... With things like steps of prep, 1) photos, 2) select 4 layouts, 1 alpha bet for titling, journal font. And then have the thread open during the Project Hour to spur us to change to the next step, like a 3 min warning then on to next step.

I think it would really help, especially those of us that tend to spend to much time on details and perfection... Lol

But getting us started with a prep list that could help us get some of the choices out of the way before, would set us up for success! Letting us pick, but making pick AND limit ourselves before.

Hmm and I'm thinking this might be a lot to have one person moderate...perhaps we could have a few that would trade off like relay runners, so that Marisa wouldn't have to be the only one coaching, or challenging and could actually have time to get caught up and have a completed page or two at the end as well!

great ideas Laura! especially about the prep time. I think this would be perfect... make each little part of the process a challenge for the day(s) leading up to a weekend 2 hr speed challenge/chat.

Monday: Label your folder PS speed scrap & Date (ex: 051113 PS Speed Scrap) Get your photos together in that folder!
Tuesday: Pre-type your journaling in a text file!
Wednesday: Choose title & alphas/fonts to use!
Thursday: Choose kit or elements you'd like to use!
Friday: Pick a template(s) or sketch out a basic layout idea(s) to have your mojo started.
Saturday: Show up to xyz forum and abc thread at set time for a "Get 'er done" Crop! ;-D

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I think if we were to take some ideas from past challenges, and maybe even start the thread early... With things like steps of prep, 1) photos, 2) select 4 layouts, 1 alpha bet for titling, journal font. And then have the thread open during the Project Hour to spur us to change to the next step, like a 3 min warning then on to next step.

I think it would really help, especially those of us that tend to spend to much time on details and perfection... Lol

But getting us started with a prep list that could help us get some of the choices out of the way before, would set us up for success! Letting us pick, but making pick AND limit ourselves before.

I have to say that the more speed scraps I do the faster I get. You have to remember, someone is telling you each step so you just follow them. And you can ask questions as you go which can be helpful! Not only that after you finish and get your prize you can go back and tweak it however you want. Oh, and most SS's are very open to your own creativity. After I get done and look at the other LOs I think oh my gosh that is really good I am going to remember that LO to scraplift. Be prepared for your first one because you will feel like a fish out of water! Again, try Wendy's as she does give you about 12 hours to complete and it is on FB. And, on Wendy's she actually teaches you new techniques!

first one I ever did was last weekend, and it was a challenge to get it done in 1 hour, but if you say, stick to 1 kit, or like you guys have been talking about, pick out all the stuff you're going to use ahead of time, that would totally work. I used a template, so that of course makes things quicker - and you can copy/paste layer styles if you add or replace things from the template

I think a slow, or prep & working session scrap would be awesome give me an incentive to sit down and do it, instead of hoarding materials...

Lain Ehman does something like this once a month. Only, what she does is a live webchat for 90ish minutes. Her goal is to complete 3 layouts each time (one layout per 30 minutes). She even sets a timer, and she'll spin a wheel with a lot of different things on it - journal in a haiku, use the color red, scrap about a sad time, etc. She invites others to scrap along at home, and there's a chat window where she answers questions, and the participants just chat. It's actually pretty motivating, and encouraging to just do it. It's paperscrapping, but I find some of the same ideas apply to digi - don't overthink it, done is better than perfect, and how to quickly pick elements and paper and pictures.